Cool. They would sell well on Valentine's Day.

My fob is a cowboy hat forged by Dave Hammer

Playing around with a new concept.

I wanted something that was relatively easy to produce, but didn't have a lot of sharp edges that might tear up the pocket lining.  Work great for key chains, necklaces, zipper pulls, etc.

Because they're not overly large, you can do a lot with a little. 

my two personal ones that have gotten me a couple of sales just being able to show them as conversational pieces. shameless.

VaughnT, very nice fobs. This is the kind of thing we need to hand out at local forge meeting, and see what comes back to the next meeting. Simple, everyone of every skill level can work on, and expand the idea. Thanks for the pics.

On 1/22/2016 at 0:37 PM, VaughnT said:

Rune fobs, you say?????

Small pendants/fobs/zipper charms about 1.25" tall, all hand carved.

Mind if I use this idea? These are really neat and would be fun to make

3 hours ago, Darious said:

Mind if I use this idea? These are really neat and would be fun to make

Have at it, friend.  Just be sure to post some photos of your pieces so we can all admire.

9 hours ago, PVF Al said:

VaughnT, very nice fobs. This is the kind of thing we need to hand out at local forge meeting, and see what comes back to the next meeting. Simple, everyone of every skill level can work on, and expand the idea. Thanks for the pics.

Thank you.  I'm always trying to come up with new projects that kids can do, but which doesn't include making yet another blessed hook!  For those fobs, I used did everything cold until I heated the metal to give them a nice waxing.  I did use a dremel with a little burr bit for the texture on the one, but other than that it was just a drill press and some chisels.

Be sure to post some photos of what your folks bring back to the next meeting!

little turtle forge, I really like the touch of the brass and the different mane texturing, I'm assuming that you used different chisels with different grinds?

                                                                                                               Littleblacksmith

4 hours ago, littleblacksmith said:

I really like the touch of the brass and the different mane texturing, I'm assuming that you used different chisels with different grinds?

Thanks!! thats exactly right, i use my old horse shoe fuller and a nice flat chisel for the mane. i love playing with copper and brass for a contrasting rivet, wish i had more on hand and was as good as i am now at rivets when i had it. did this one around the same time but not a keychain.

Very nice.

Lots of things to try and give to the wife as a peace offering, for time spent at the forge. 

A few pics of past bits, Coil needs picklingbefore attaching ring, and sea horse needs a ring fitted

 

 

A friend asked me to make a couple unicorn horn keychains. He chose the size. 

 

Wow, unicorns must have big key holes! I certainly don't have a pocket big enough either.

Those look good Das, twisting a taper isn't easy, well done

Frosty The Lucky.

Frosty, They fought me. Honestly I would have liked them a lil more even but I do like them. funny enough I got the better twist on the first one.  I'm going to have to research more if I need to do any more of these. 

One idea I had was to make several sized tapered square holes in a twisting bar (small to large) to use them to build up and work at a more even twist. more research will tell if there is a better idea already out there.

I like the one on the left but that's taste I think the twists are about equal. Not the same but equal.

I had luck doing tapered twists for screws by using the vise but pulling the stock back and tightening the jaws to match. I tried something similar with a pair of pliers I ground the teeth out of but didn't like it as much.

Doing a tapered cable twist like those might work with a twisting wrench that was a long acute V. clamp the work horizontally and slide the wrench out the taper as you twisted.

The trouble I had was the difference in force necessary to twist the taper on top of different temp loss. I swore I'd just use a torch after messing around for a while. However a screw has some pretty thin edges on a thicker center. Made heating them without burning them tough. An electric or better induction forge would've been nice, REALLY nice.

Frosty The Lucky.

A pleasing design, Das. Well done!

Thanks for the ideas Frosty. I'll try some different techniques and see what works best for me.  Yeah an induction forge would be nice but I have other tool needs first. 

Thanks Aus. The whole time I was thinking of making a unicorn sculpture . Another day...

Aric - on your chiseling for the unicorn horns - set the chisel lines good then go over them a couple times overlapping the ends of the chisel marks from the previous chiseling to smooth out the lines - this will help to keep the "kinking" down to a minimum during twisting. Keeping the metal uniform, even heating, and consistent twisting is the key for good looking twists.

7 minutes ago, jeremy k said:

Aric - on your chiseling for the unicorn horns - set the chisel lines good then go over them a couple times overlapping the ends of the chisel marks from the previous chiseling to smooth out the lines - this will help to keep the "kinking" down to a minimum during twisting. Keeping the metal uniform, even heating, and consistent twisting is the key for good looking twists.

Thank you Jeremy.  Other then looks I didn't know that not having it as smooth of a chisel line could affect the twisting. 

I will also dress up the chisel I used to soften the edges a bit so the start and stop are softer, then I'll use your advice and go back over the lines. 

Mainly the kinking on this was me fidgeting with the wrong tools trying to twist in different areas "trying" to keep it as even as I could. 

Also very smooth consistent tappers provide even twisting, its the combination of many variables that make for clean looking twists, practice, practice, practice. Attention to detail is key, as small variables combined - compound the looks greatly, whether good or bad.

Here's a variation on the leaf.  I can't take credit for it though, it was part of Alan Kress's demo at the AACB Christmas meeting.  Instead of drawing the metal out to both sides only push it to one side to make the body. 

That's a cool little mouse Kal. 

I think the unicorn horns look great, not machine perfect, but a bit askew, as a horn would naturally grow.
I also think they'd be awesome self defense weapons for the ladies!